


(I Would) Fly You to the Moon

by 20DruidicKats



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: A series of loosely tied one shots, All the art posted at the end of the chapters is done by yours truly, Begins 9 years before the start of the game, Eventual Asra/Apprentice, Gen, Human? Apprentice, Kepi is a disaster please don't mind her, Slice of Life, Slice of life with a meandering plot, Will be adding more characters/tags as the story goes on, slowburn, the most intelligent dumb person I've ever written, unless otherwise stated
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-18 11:42:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28742694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/20DruidicKats/pseuds/20DruidicKats
Summary: There’s something magical about the city of Vesuvia. It’s unlike anything the young magician and astronomer, Kepi, had ever seen before. Not that she has much experience outside her home, mind you. The city is full of beautiful architecture, colour, mystery, the residents even more so.It’s a good fit for her; Kepi holds her fair share of secrets herself, much more than the secrets of the universe she’s uncovering.
Relationships: Apprentice/Asra (The Arcana)
Kudos: 7





	1. Underneath the Starlight

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Thank you for checking this out! It's been a hot second since I've written anything for a fandom so this is more me stretching my writing muscles out again. Like I said in the tags, this is more of a series of loosely-tied slice-of-life one shots that has some kind of plot through them. I will try and update on a semi-regular schedule, but I can't truly say for sure ^^;;
> 
> I hope you all like Kepi and her aunt as much as I do, because they are some of the most colourful characters I've written to date. 
> 
> Happy reading!
> 
> ~*~***~*~
> 
> “Underneath the starlight, starlight  
> There's a magical feeling so right  
> It will steal your heart tonight”  
> -Leanne Rimes - Can't Fight the Moonlight

Boisterous laughter and songs being sung off-key rang through the streets like cheap beer, bubbling and sloshing through the music being feverishly played. Whorls of people, dressed in costumes and masks of all styles and colours and makes, spun and danced through the river of song and cobblestone, intoxicated on joy and excitement and cheap booze. Sequins flashed and gold glinted, drawing the eye like a sirens' promise and whisked away before they could be captured by anyone’s gaze.

Kepi watched this from the magic shop’s second story window, mesmerized by the sheer amount of it all. The apprentice had only been in Vesuvia for roughly a month now and she was completely blindsided by how much the city had come alive seemingly overnight. Granted the teenager was, at first, a little annoyed at her magical and astronomical studies being interrupted, but feeling the city alive like _this_? 

It was a magic all on its own. 

“Hey, Kiddo, head out of the stars,” her aunt’s playful voice cut through her musings and brought her back to the present. 

Kepi shook her head a little and huffed out a soft laugh. “You know I can’t do that, Auntie Makatza,” she quipped back, allowing her aunt’s hands to gently reposition her head to continue wrestling her hair into the intricate style she wanted. “Besides, I’m more preoccupied in figuring out how those fireworks work.”

Her aunt’s rich laughter offset the slight sting of her bopping the top of Kepi’s head with a hair pin. The charms and beads dangling from the end jingled merrily.

“Save that for later, Pup! This is the biggest party on this side of the Scarlet Slopes and like _hell_ I’m going to allow my _favourite niece_ -”

“I’m your only niece.”

“-To miss out on it by letting her stick her nose in a book or stare off into the heavens! Not for at least these three days!”

Kepi pouted at the mention of books and her studies . “At least can I-?”

“No.” Her aunt leaned over enough for Kepi to see her green gaze glare at her with mock irritation. “You are. Taking. A. Break. You’ve been studying day and night--and don’t you tell me I’m wrong _I know when you sneak out_ \--and you have made so much progress since I last saw you six months ago. I can’t tell you how freakin _proud_ I am of you, Kepi.”

Kepi couldn’t reign in the pleased smile any more than she could reign in the happy flutter of her heart or the reddening of her ears.

“-But the fact remains that _you_ -” Makatza poked her softly in the nose with the end of a different hair clip. “-need to get out and experience life a little. Meet new people, connections that could help you in the long run, maybe make a friend or two.”

Kepi wrinkled her nose and stuck her tongue out, which Makatza immediately mimicked. They stared at each other for a moment before bursting into giggles. The older woman bopped her one more time before securing the last pin into her hair.

“Now!” Kepi allowed herself to be turned around and she stared up into her most beloved aunt’s cheerful face. She scrutinized her work, a twinkle in her eye. “I will bend a _little_ and show you how to magic your hair to stay for the night. A little trick I picked up from a noblewoman in Prakra.”

Makatza winked and outright laughed at the way Kepi's spine straightened in her eagerness. 

“Now, close your eyes and relax-” Kepi immediately did what she was told, eyes fluttering shut and relaxing her clenched muscles.

“Picture your hair, from the way it normally feels, as smooth as the finest silks from Zadith, to how light it can be when the wind picks it up and tosses it to-and-fro, to how easily it bends to the hands combing through it. 

“Now, instead of imagining it flowing and free, imagine it keeping a shape, like a basket woven from willow. How, even when it’s bent into a shape it will hold. Imagine your hair as a bunch of little willow branches being woven into a basket, the tension needed to keep it in place. Draw up the magic and-- _release._ ”

Kepi released the magic on her aunt’s cue and felt it--warm and a little crackly at the edges, as it normally is--run up her arms and neck and settle into her hair. She could feel her hair shift a little, maybe become a little tighter in places, and then nothing. She blinked her eyes open just as Makatza reached over and prodded a section of her hair. 

A wide smile overtook the woman’s face. “Excellent work for your first try, my girl. You could’ve made it a _tad_ stiffer, but it’ll hold.”

Kepi beamed at the praise and bounced a little on her toes. Her hair jangled and rang with the movement and Makatza whooped with delight.

"Beautiful! Now, _I_ have to do my hair, so I’m going to have _you_ pick up our masks.”

Kepi blinked curiously up at the older woman. “You commissioned us masks?”

Makatza gestured to the window, where throngs of people still milled and spun about. 

“Pup, this is a _Masquerade._ Of _course_ I commissioned us masks, and from a very close friend-.” She frowned slightly. “Well, ‘friend’ is doing him a disservice. He’s like another nephew to me. He and a friend of his make excellent masks that he sells around this time. The best ones in town, though I may be biased.” A soft fond smile crossed her lips. “Long story short, they’re ready to be picked up and I think you should meet him.”

Kepi frowned, suddenly a little nervous. Makatza noticed and chuckled, moving to ruffle her hair affectionately but choosing to squeeze her shoulder instead. 

“You’ll be fine Pup. He’s a very kind individual. All you need is to give him the money, which I have here-” The older woman glanced down at the cosmetic-cluttered counter, frowned, then cursed under her breath. “-I _thought_ I put the money right here--hold on.”

Makatza flounced away with a huff, pulling open drawers at random, quickly digging through them, and then snatching open the next victim. All the while she muttered and scolded herself, sometimes tossing a random object over her shoulder.

“Ugh, no, I don’t think he and Muriel need eyes of a fire newt-”

“No, no, the boy already has the tea set I gave him- Oh, I should get him another refill of that tea he really likes... Hmmm..”

“Oh hell, _Kepi!_ What’s the currency here? Do you think vendors would take pirate doubloons?”

“Uhhh…” Was Kepi’s eloquent reply before dodging a large jingling sack of, presumably, pirate doubloons. “Auntie, _what-?_ ”

“Of course they wouldn’t, _why are you even asking you dolt?_ I _swear_ if I don’t have it- _AHA!”_

Makatza emerged grinning from the bathing room, holding a large sack of coins like a trophy. Her ornate costume was askew and her long hair was even more disheveled than it had been, but the woman didn’t seem to care. Her collar is perilously close to sinking down her bare shoulder as she flounced over and plopped the sack into Kepi’s hands. She stumbled a bit under the unexpected weight of the coin and blinked down at the burlap sack. It looks like at _least_ two months’ worth of earnings for the shop.

“There ya go! Just give him that and tell him who it’s for. He knows me very well. I think he set up his tent right behind here too; lucky us!” She smiled widely down at Kepi. “I’ll meet you there after I do something with my stubborn mane here.”

“Um,” the teenager stuttered, shifting the heavy bag in her arms to better carry it. “Okay. U-um, Auntie, w-what’s this man’s name?”

Makatza started slightly, hairbrush already in hand. “Oh! That’s what I forgot to tell you! His name is Asra. Fluffy white hair, skin like ours. His eyes are a really pretty shade of purple, though. Can’t miss him.”

Kepi nodded slowly, rolling the name on her tongue for a moment before spinning on her heel and marching downstairs. 

Stepping onto the street was almost like stepping into a portal into another world. As soon as the door swung shut behind her Kepi had to fight to keep from being swept away by the crowd. She wrinkled her nose at the nauseating stink of brewery and sweat and cheap perfume assaulting her nose and fought the urge to cover her ears; the music was so much _louder_ and the drums pounded through her body like a second heartbeat. It took all her self control not to spin on her heel and retreat back to the safety and security of her new home, but she squared her shoulders, took a deep breath, and stumbled into the street.

The teenager managed to squeeze through the people, tripping over her feet and loose clothing and probably making a complete fool out of herself. Despite herself, she couldn’t help but breathe a heavy sigh of relief when she made it to the less-crowded alleyway that connected the main street to the back of the shop. Gods, she hated large crowds. 

She didn’t have to travel very far into the mouth of the alleyway to see the worn purple patchwork tent half propped against the back wall of the shop. There were still people here, though most of them were in pairs or small groups off to the side of the alley. They talked in hushed tones, like hens gossiping, with an occasional delighted squeal or groan of despair. Some of them could be seen slipping on ornately-painted masks as they walked away and back into the crowd. She admired the work done on one of them as they passed her by; for masks like _that_ , she could definitely understand the large sum of money she was supposed to deliver.

Kepi couldn’t see the person tending the haphazard shop right away; a group of giggling girls around her age took the majority of the available space around the entrance of the tent. She merely sighed, leaned against the shop wall and played with a corner of the burlap sack.

She didn’t have to wait too long, just enough for the girls’ chattering to get on her nerves. Kepi was contemplating on braving the tide of the street and coming back later when she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. The girls’ delighted cooing became excited tittering as their missing friend ducked out, flushed and grinning madly. Some of them giggled their goodbyes’ to the shopkeep, blushing and practically falling over each other as they moved away from the tent.

Kepi didn’t pay them much mind as they huddled to the side of the tent, only having eyes for the young man that emerged second. At first glance, he certainly seemed to match the description that her aunt gave her, though it surprised her at how young he looked. White hair that reminded her of a cloud on a clear day, curling softly and framing high cheekbones. Golden brown skin that was only a few shades lighter than her own complementing his colourful clothing. What she truly wasn’t prepared for was how intense his gaze was when it swept away from the girls and up to her. Kepi felt something zip up her spine when those eyes, as purple as could be, bored into hers. 

Kepi distantly noted how his own eyes widened and his full lips parted slightly, but she was far more preoccupied with not tripping over her own feet when she crossed the remaining distance between them.

"Y-you must be Asra?" She started, internally cringing at how uncertain she must sound. 

The young man quickly regained his composure, running a hand through his curls and gazing down at her curiously. "Yes, I'm Asra." A smile curled the edges of his lips. "Are you here for a fortune telling?"

The way his shifting eyes glinted mischievously in the dim light made Kepi's heart pound and she had to fight the blush that wanted to creep up her cheeks. 

"I-ah, no?” she stuttered, “I, uh, was instructed to give this to you-" She held out the sack she'd been clinging to. "-and to pick up the commission for Makatza?" 

“Makatza?” Shock overcame Asra's features as he took the sack and he inhaled sharply at the weight of it. "How much did she-" a quick, sad smile flashed across his lips. "Of course she would. Never did anything by halves."

Asra sighed heavily, shook his head, and looked back up at Kepi, a new weight in his gaze. "So you must be her niece, Kepi."

The surprise must've been obvious on her face because he merely chuckled and gestured for her to come into the tent. "She speaks of you often. Come on in. I don't bite."

He winked at her and ducked back into the tent. Kepi let out a strangled sound, reminiscent of a tea kettle going off before taking a deep breath, patting her cheeks, and following him.

Kepi had to pause to allow her eyes to adjust to the dim lighting of the single candle set out onto a small shoddy wooden table that occupied the center of the tent. Two rickety stools were placed across from the other, their faded cushions patched and lumpy. Masks carved into all shapes and animals and painted so beautifully in bold colours and dizzying patterns lined the walls from top to bottom. Sheer scarves draped artfully from the ceiling, some even lined with shiny coins that tinkled like a thieves’ purse when she passed under them. Strings of beads and pendants hung in between the scarves and winked teasingly in the light. Incense wafted lazily through the air, bringing many scents she couldn’t quite identify, and there was a strong thrum of magic throughout the entire space. There wasn’t much in terms of shelving, which Kepi could understand, since as far as she knew this wasn’t a permanent shop like her aunt’s. The only pieces of furniture besides the table and stools she could see was a single low shelf at the back of the tent, which was where Asra strode over and stashed the money into a very old-looking bag.

He picked up the one beside it and glanced back at her, standing a little awkwardly near the table. He smiled gently at her and, with a flourish, gestured for her to sit. “Please, be my guest for a while,” the young man said, “I’ll show you what Aunt Maka commissioned me.” 

Kepi stumbled a little as she slid onto one of the stools, making the flame flicker wildly. “ _Aunt Maka_?” she repeated, blinking up at Asra as he strode over and slid into his own seat.

He laughed and gently set the bag on his lap and opened it. His violet eyes examined her for a long moment before he continued, “Yes, Makatza played a large role in raising me. Well, when she was _here_ , anyways. She’s like an aunt to me.” 

Kepi grimaced and nodded, sharing a knowing look with the young man. While Kepi adored her aunt, Makatza was very well-known in their family for her intense wanderlust and love for travel; it’s a miracle she’s stayed in Vesuvia long enough to start Kepi’s training again.

“I see she’s the same with family, then,” Asra sighed, a touch of emotion that Kepi couldn’t identify in his tone. It was gone with his next sentence, “She’s always been extraordinarily kind to me and my friend, so I’ve always been willing to look past her flaws.”

Asra glanced down at the bag as he worked to carefully pull out the first object in it and Kepi took the opportunity to really examine the young man. The sad, wistful edge he had to his features gave way to true pride and joy as he pulled out an object carefully wrapped in brown paper. He ran a thin finger over the face of it for a moment before offering it to Kepi.

“Imagine my surprise when she came to where my friend and I live and told me that her favourite niece showed up on her door the night before,” he said as Kepi took it.

She sent him a glance, the interest and curiosity clear in her softly glowing gaze, before her fingers moved to unwrap it.

“By the gods,” she gasped softly as she peeled back the paper and a beautifully painted mask carved into the shape of a wolf looked back at her. 

The main body of the paint was a dark earthy brown, streaked with a deep auburn and a much lighter tan under the eyes, over the backs of the carefully carved ears, and around the nose that emulated fur markings. On those lighter places bright red swirling designs and dots accented the eyes and faded into a vivid purple the more it drifted into the darker parts of the mask. The edges of the mask was trimmed neatly with fur close to the shade of the paint, alternating light and dark hues, and tufts of the same fur poked out from the insides of the ears. 

“It’s _beautiful_ ,” Kepi breathed, running a finger over the fur and finding it was as soft as it looked.

“Makatza helped design it,” Asra said, drawing Kepi’s gaze once again. He was leaning on his elbows on the table, a look of pride on his face. A small smile quirked his lips and he nodded to the mask in her hands. “She was very insistent on the colour of the paint and the markings. I suppose she wanted it to complement her own, which I think only makes sense.” 

Insistent on the markings..? Kepi glanced at the mask again and took keen note of the placement of the paint. A shiver of recognition ran up her spine when the pieces clicked together.

“She also mentioned,” Asra continued, bringing her attention back up to him. “That you’re a very talented magician.” 

His head was tilted a little, keen interest replacing the pride in his piercing gaze. Kepi swallowed, suddenly a little unnerved at all the attention he plied onto her. 

“Uh, yeah,” she laughed, moving to tuck her hair behind her ears but was met with air. Her hand dropped to the mask instead and her fingers started worrying at the fur trim. “I, uh, _left_ my family to continue my magic studies and to continue my research into the heavens and stars.”

“ _Really?_ ” Asra leaned in a little more, expression curious, “Why the stars?”

Kepi lit up at the question, her round face lighting up with joy and her golden eyes glinted with intelligence. She opened her mouth to answer when the street outside roared with noise. They looked at each other with wide eyes for a moment before getting up as one and heading towards the entrance. 

She got to the exit before he could and she threw open the tent flap only to gape at the crowd now densely packed into the alley mouth. There were people even crowding the tent, and just faintly she could hear the sounds of flutes and pipes over the cheering of the people. She could feel Asra come up from behind her and could sense his own shock.

“What-?” He muttered before squeezing past her and tapping the nearest person on the shoulder. “Hello, what is this for?”

“The Seventh Princess of Prakra has come!” they chirped, straining on their toes to peer over the crowd. “The Count has invited Princess Nadia Satrinava to celebrate with us! Oooh I hope we can get a glimpse of her! Her beauty is said to be divine!”

Kepi blinked in astonishment; She’s heard of the family from her aunt’s tales and it was a little hard to believe that one of the fair princesses decided to come _here_ of all places.  
If the infamous arrogant count invited her here personally, then maybe he intends to try for her hand?

Before she could point this out to her new friend (?), the flutes got louder and the crowd surged, sending Kepi stumbling to the side. Warm hands caught her and an arm wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her flush against an even warmer chest. Kepi squeaked in surprise and her head flew up to gawk at her unwitting savior. Asra’s eyes glittered in mischief and a small smile quirked the corners of his lips. She couldn’t even begin to control the riotous flush that spiked up her neck as he leaned down to speak to her. 

“Be careful, Kepi,” she felt him murmur into her ear, “Don’t get lost; we may never find you again if you do.”

The poor apprentice didn’t even get a chance to respond before that arm released her and she was left shivering in its absence. She managed to regain her bearings just in time to glimpse an ornate carriage pass by and a beautiful woman waving demurely to the crowd.

As the carriage passed by and the crowd thinned to follow it, Kepi found herself letting out a breath of relief. She squeezed her mask closer to her chest and chanced a shy glance up at Asra through her lashes. Her flush got deeper when she found him already gazing down at her, a foreign expression on his face. A small smile gentled the expression and he gently bumped shoulders with her.

“Would you do me the honour of going to this Masquerade with me, Kepi?”


	2. Can You Show Me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asra takes a visit to his favourite magic shop to drop something off and learns a little more about the mysterious young woman he met at the Masquerade.
> 
> ~*~***~*~
> 
> “I wanna know, can you show me?  
> I wanna know about these strangers like me  
> Tell me more, please show me  
> Something's familiar about these strangers like me”  
> -Strangers Like Me - Phil Collins

The city of Vesuvia is bustling, as usual for that time of day. For Asra, navigating between the hustling crowd is second nature. Weaving between people and carts and animals is as easy as breathing and a valuable skill he cherishes. No matter where he goes in the world, no other streets are as familiar to him as Vesuvia’s. He can’t truly decide whether that is a good or bad thing, but he _does_ know that there are two places where his chest lightens in genuine joy to see; the hut he shares with Muriel and the whimsical magic shop that is owned by a woman as eccentric and even more well-traveled than he.

The smell of Aunt Makatza’s shop feels like coming home after a long time away, from the herb bundles she has hanging from hooks on the walls to her favourite incense burning in the corner. The door and windows open wide in summer, letting in the smells and cool breeze from the docks, and in winter the wood stove was always burning, heated by a fire salamander he helped Makatza catch in his youth. There were always more sheer scarves draping from the ceiling whenever he visited, more shiny trinkets and spices from lands he'd only dreamed of visiting, more of _everything_ that made this shop so special. It’s warm and homey and he loves everything about it. 

Asra inhaled all these things as he caught the door on his way in, feeling Faust shift around in his vest and poke her head out to taste the air. A happy, contented feeling radiated from his familiar, one that he felt echoed in his chest. He was almost bowled over by a short squat woman sporting an… _interesting_ yellow feather boa on her neck that was in the middle of yelling and waving her goodbyes to whomever was inside, but he gracefully moved out of her way before she could crash into him. The young magician ducked in, hiding a smile as he caught Makatza waving the woman out the door from over the heads of the customers crowded into the smallish shop. Her keen green eyes immediately caught his and the spark of joy in them seemed to give them an internal glow.

“Asra!” she yipped, a wide smile splitting her face, “My favourite nephew!”

A matching smile slipped over his own face as she expertly wove through the crowd and threw her arms around him. He felt Faust move out of the way before his ribs creaked under her embrace. He returned it just as fiercely, making the older woman chuckle. She drew back after a moment, ruffling his hair affectionately before separating entirely.

“I wasn’t expecting to see you for another week! What brings you to this neck of the woods?,” she continued, making her way back to the counter. Asra followed her, attempting to comb his hair back into place. From the mischievous tilt of Makatza’s lips when she looked him over, he wasn’t successful in the slightest.

“I was out foraging and I found some things you always ask me to gather for you,” he said, leaning lightly against the glass counter. He was momentarily interrupted as one of the customers approached Makatza to purchase some small bundles of spices and a handful of mushrooms. 

When that customer was on their way Asra continued, “I was on my way home when I remembered about it and I thought I’d give it to you before I forgot again.”

He watched as Makatza blinked and spun to consider a calendar hanging behind her. He followed her gaze and saw nothing unusual written upon it, simply the phases of the moon drawn into the right-hand corners of the little squares opposite the inked numbers. Her index finger tapped the days’ date, marked with a waxing crescent right before the first quarter moon.

“You’re too kind my boy,” she hummed, turning back around. Though she still wore a wide smile, Asra could clearly see the way her eyes tightened at the corners. “You still remember where to put them?”

“Upstairs and in the big beaded wood box to the left of the vanity,” he recited, giving Makatza a wicked grin when she snorted.

“I guess that _was_ a stupid question,” she mused, absentmindedly nodding to a customer who was waving her over. Before she completely slid out from behind the counter she paused and turned to Asra, an exasperated glint in her eye. “Oh, and if you can do me another favour before you leave town.”

He raised an eyebrow, intrigued. She sighed and glanced at the semi-hidden staircase, leading to the private living space. “Could you drag Kepi out from upstairs and get her out of the shop for a bit? She hasn’t really eaten or slept since I showed her some books I bought travelling, two days ago. I’d do it myself but-” she gestures to the customers with a rueful smile. “-I’m a bit busy.”

Asra hummed and tilted his head, mulling it over. While he’s only really interacted with the young apprentice once, at the Masquerade several months ago, there’s something about her that just catches his attention. He can’t put his finger on it and he’s not really opposed to getting to know her better just to figure it out. 

Besides, he kinda _was_ hungry and he really wasn’t in a hurry to go home. 

The young magician gave the older woman a small smile and a nod. “I think I can do that.”

The relief in Makatza’s eyes was palpable but she ducked under the counter before he could say another word. She popped back up, a small decorated coin purse in hand, and offered it to Asra with a warm smile.

“To pay for the food,” she stated, shaking it and causing the bag to jingle lightly.

Asra eyed the bag as he took it, squinting at her when he felt the weight of it. “This is far too much for a simple meal, Aunt Maka,” he noted.

The older woman planted her hands on her hips and gave him a firm, motherly look. “The rest is for you, as payment for gathering the herbs,” she continued in a tone that left no room for argument. “You try and refuse it and I _will_ chuck it at your pretty, stubborn head!” 

Asra ducked his head, though he couldn’t hide the amused smile growing on his face. Some things never changed, like this game that he and Makatza have had for years. 

She made a shooing motion and turned her attention fully on the customer, jewelry jingling merrily with every movement she made. He shook his head once more, entertained by her antics, and slipped away upstairs. He knew this part of the shop by heart, from every uneven step to the one that always creaked if you put too much weight on the right side. In a blink of an eye he was nudging open the door just wide enough for it not to squeak, took a step in, and promptly froze in his tracks.

This part of the shop had always been messy, very obviously lived in. The bed was never made, sheets and pillows and blankets strewn haphazardly all over the comfortable mattress, cabinets overflowing with scrolls of parchment, quills, cosmetics, and many other things that he couldn’t put a name to. The worn wooden floor was dotted with deep, plush rugs of varying sizes and shapes, trimmed with gold and silver embroidery, surely bought by Makatza from her travels. More scarves, paintings, and other odd things hung from the ceiling and walls, including, to Asra’s surprise and delight, the two masquerade masks he’d made.

The only difference he could discern between the room from his childhood and this one was-

Asra blinked in awe at the massive blackboard that spanned the wall next to the door, which was something that was _definitely_ new. He backed up a little more into the room, eyes wide at the sheer amount of numbers, letters, the occasional drawing, and symbols foreign to him scrawled hastily in white lines across the dusty surface. And penning them all with chalky fingers was Kepi, who he was incredibly surprised hadn’t noticed him.

Then again, from how far her nose was into one of the floating tomes beside her, he wasn’t all that surprised.

“-Now, from these observations from Dr. Khan here, and here from Dr. Vaux, and assuming that his theory is _right_ and this world _is_ round-” She muttered, glancing from the book to the chalkboard and, with a quick motion of her arm, drew a near-perfect circle. “How can I measure the entire earth without actually measuring it..?”

Kepi trailed off, scrutinizing the board and absently tapping a finger to her cheek. Asra could see the dust that floated off her fingers with every tap. 

“Hmmm…” she hummed and waved her hand lightly, moving the floating books to the side as she turned to another book hovering slightly behind her. 

The young apprentice must’ve seen him out of the corner of her eye. She whirled around quickly with a startled yelp, the heavy books thumping to the ground as she lost concentration on the spell holding them up. Asra had to cover his mouth to hide his smile at the litany of chalky smudges littering her face and neck, now that he can see her face fully. The embarrassed flush did nothing but emphasize the chalky marks and provide a contrast to the concerning dark circles under her wide golden eyes. Her dark hair was rumpled and streaked with white, likely from her running her hands through it in frustration.

She was still as cute as she was the night of the Masquerade, even more so now that he can appreciate her in her natural setting.

“A-Asra,” she stuttered, her eyes flicking from him to the door. “I-uh, I didn’t hear you come in.” Her eyes flickered again to the door. “What brings you, um, up here?”

He took a deep breath and did his best to push down his mirth, though he was sure that he couldn’t banish the smile no matter how hard he tried.

“I have herbs for Aunt Maka,” he said, finally removing his hand. He rifled through the bag slung over his shoulder and carefully removed the bundle of monkshood to show to the other magician. 

To his surprise Kepi drew back a little and looked at the herbs with wary eyes. “Aconite,” she identified, glancing between him and the bundle. “So do you know..?”

Asra eyed her for a moment, trying to figure out what she meant, before shaking his head. “No,” he admitted, “I don’t know what Makatza makes with these. All I know is that she asks me to gather them for her every month.”

Her shoulders relaxed and the slightly distressed look in her eye eased.

“Oh,” she said, and he raised an eyebrow.

“Do _you_ know what she makes with them?”

For a split second he could’ve sworn her eyes flashed, but she ducked down to gently gather the books abandoned on the floor. Her hair obscured her face in a curtain of umber and crimson.

“No. I was just wondering if she’d told you, since you also apprenticed under her.”

She tilted her head, making her hair part around her citrine bright eyes that peered up at him.

“She may be my aunt, Asra, but she still holds many secrets close to her heart.” 

She straightened up, sharp gaze boring into his for a moment more before she turned away to gently place the books onto a shelf underneath the blackboard. He briefly glimpsed a multitude of other books, most notably a few black bound books with silver ribbons poking out, before Kepi obscured it again. She sighed and stretched her arms over her head, a groan croaking out of her throat, and Asra could _just_ see a sliver of her stomach as her shirt rode up just _slightly_.

Heat flooded his cheeks and he turned very quickly to stride over to the beaded box sitting right where it always sits. He could feel Faust shift in his clothes, poking her head out to flick her tongue as he opened the chest. The familiar herb smells wafted around him and he couldn’t help but to close his eyes for a brief moment and breathe it in.

_“Plant for Aunt?”_ _  
_

He hummed an affirmative and Faust, curiosity satisfied for now, poked her head back into his shirt. Asra gently rifled through the compartments carved inside the box and put the bundle into its’ designated place, right next to some dried crumbling petals from the previous months’ delivery. He found it a little odd that the older woman always had plenty of other herbs in her stock, but only requested that he only bring a few mature stems and flowering bulbs at a time. 

Then again, she had many, _many_ years of experience with magical ingredients that he didn’t yet. Perhaps he should ask about the magical properties of monkshood to the Magician when he was next in his realm. 

As Asra closed the box and straightened up, he could head shuffling from the other end of the room. He snuck a glance from over his shoulder and watched Kepi wipe her face and hands in the vanity’s mirror for a moment. Shaking his head, he went back to gaze curiously at the chalkboard, gaze flowing from one set of equations to the next without comprehending a single one of them. 

_By the Gods, She must’ve had some_ really _intensive schooling to be able to understand any of this._

Asra’s train of thought was interrupted by someone clearing their throat. He turned to Kepi, who was fiddling with the ends of her slightly-disheveled hair, now mostly free from chalk dust. She looked up at him, brows slightly furrowed, questions in her gaze.

He gestured to the board as an answer, genuine awe suffusing his voice as he voiced the questions he’s had since coming up there, “How can you understand _any_ of this? What is all this even for?”

She blinked up at him, at first very taken aback and then _wary._ Her eyes roved over his face, as if searching for something behind his genuinity. When she found what she was looking for, or maybe the lack of what she was looking for, her expression relaxed and excitement took its place. She briefly turned away from him and picked up one of the books she was holding before to show him the cover of it. It looked rather plain, a cover of a simple black leather with the author’s name delicately scrolled across the front in silver ink.

“This is a copy of the complete journal from Dr. Nazar Khan, an astronomer from the desert country of Kagria. It details all of his observations and theories of our place in the heavens, though his more focus on how the sun relates to the earth!”

There’s a wide smile lighting up her features when she turns and snatches the second book, this one a fine brown leather with fancy gold embossing on the front. 

“And this one is from Dr. Amir Vaux, who works mostly in the earth sciences, though he still has very good theories about how the moon affects the tides! Him being from Prakra, specifically the Pearl Isles, gives his observations more credibility, since they pride themselves on having extensive knowledge on the sea.”

Asra blinked, completely taken aback and very impressed at the extent of her knowledge. It was obvious that she'd been bursting to share this for awhile, from the way she bounced in place and how quickly the words were tumbling over her lips. He couldn’t help but smile softly as she swung around to point at the diagram she made earlier, when he was coming in.

“What _I’ve_ been studying is something similar to what Dr. Khan has been, but a different take of it. Instead of how the sun relates to the earth, I’m more interested in the stars themselves. What makes them up? Why do they sometimes change colour? Why do they seem to move across the night sky like the sun does? Is it the earth that’s moving, or are _they_ moving over _us?_

“And that’s where my current dilemma lies; how big is this world that we live on?” She absently tapped the black-bound book in her arms and stated, more to herself than to him. “I feel it’s the first step to answering many of my other questions. Dr. Vaux already determined that this world is round, from his many observations of watching the tops of the ships come into view before the rest of the ship, along with other things that can be explained with simple geometry-”

Kepi stopped mid-sentence and sighed, smile slowly fading from her features. She bit her lip and shuffled her feet, eyes first roaming over her equations, then to him, and then lowering to the floor. He stared at her, taken aback and concerned, and opened his mouth to say the one thing that was going through his mind.

“Why-?”

“I-I’m sorry Asra,” she cut him off, clutching the books closer to her chest and refusing to look up at him. “I’m sure you don’t want to hear all the, uh, boring details of what I do. It’s a lot of, um, _mathematics_ and complex theories that tend to bore people after awhile-”

“No!” The word burst out of Asra’s chest, startling himself as well as Kepi, whose head shot up in alarm. They stared wide-eyed at each other for a moment before he took a deep breath and continued, “Please, tell me about your research Kepi; I think it's very interesting!”

She stared at him with the most disbelieving look he’s seen on someone’s face and something like sorrow and protective anger twisted in his chest. He wasn’t sure why he felt so defensive for her all of a sudden, but he was certain that he wanted to convince her that he was more than happy to listen to whatever she had to say.

As he was struggling to find the words to placate her, Asra felt Faust move under his shirt and nudge the pocket he stashed the coin purse in.

_“Food!”_ He heard in his minds’ ear from his familiar and he could kiss her for her genius.

“Ah, hold on.” Asra dug in his pocket and pulled out the purse, holding it up to show Kepi. “Would you like to talk more over some lunch? There’s this new bakers’ shop in the market I’ve been meaning to try and, if you would have me, you can tell me about all the research you’ve been doing.” 

He was relieved and a little flattered as Kepi’s face morphed from embarrassed and sad to flustered and shy. He wasn’t sure why he had this effect on her, but he was relieved that he found a way to erase that dejected look in her normally bright eyes.

_He wants to see that spark of excitement and deep hunger in her eyes again._

“I-uh-um, sure!” She squeaked out, cheeks redder than her hair and he grinned, delighted. “I-uh, if you _really_ wanna hear about my research lemmie, um, grab my journal and then we can go!”

Asra watched her, cheeks pink and amused, as she spun on her heel and shoved the books back in their place. With a quick motion of her fingers, she pulled out the closest of the black journals and clutched it close to her heart. She hesitated for a moment, then snatched a small ink well and a rather battered quill from a nearby table and turned back to him. She tucked the quill behind her ear and muttered a spell he recognized. His smile deepened as Kepi slipped over to him, quill keeping its place behind her ear, and she looked up at him with a shy, yet eager expression.

“You ready?” Asra asked, tucking the coins back into his pocket.

Kepi nodded, and, with a playfully grand gesture, he bowed towards the door.

“After you then~”

* * *

  
The sun was starting to sink towards the horizon when Asra and Kepi managed to get back to the shop, both laughing and bumping shoulders like they were old friends. 

He really couldn’t remember the last time he enjoyed an afternoon in Vesuvia. It was almost scary how well they clicked, once Kepi got over her initial shyness. He was absolutely _delighted_ when he managed to bring the spark back to Kepi’s eyes as she chattered about her research, which eventually led her to show him the contents of her journal. While he honestly didn’t understand much of what she talked about, the more questions he asked the brighter her expression became. What _really_ drew him in was the illustrations and paintings that sprawled in between her written notes, rough sketches of stars and the night sky. He could _feel_ how much passion and adoration she had for her work through the hasty scribbles and splashes of pigment, a sentiment she echoed when he pulled out his tarot deck to show her. 

“I can _feel_ how much love went into these cards,” she’d murmured, gently passing a finger over the card depicting the Magician placed on the table between them. “You’re a phenomenal artist, Asra.”

It was after that that Faust decided to make her appearance and he was happy at how well Kepi took suddenly seeing a snake poke its head out of his shirt.

“Is this your familiar??” Kepi had gasped in delight, peering curiously at Faust and Faust staring curiously back from his collar. “What’s their name?” 

“Her name is Faust. Faust, this is Kepi, Aunt Maka’s niece.”

_“New friend?”_

Asra had smiled and relayed to his companion, “She wants to know if you’re our new friend.”

“Oh!” He _delighted_ in the flush that bloomed over Kepi’s cheeks. “If-If you would have me, then yes I would very much like to be your friend.” 

Asra couldn’t keep a smile off his face as they hopped up the steps of the magic shop, bowing in that same exaggerated fashion to his new friend as he opened the door for her. She giggled as she swept past him and he followed, pulling the door shut behind him.

The store was now, thankfully, empty of customers. The fine covering of dirt on the wooden floors and the emptier shelves the only proof of their presence during the day. A tired-yet-satisfied looking Makatza was at the counter when they came in, tucking what looked like a letter into her dress pocket.

She smiled widely at the pair, tired eyes flashing between their humour-flushed faces and a mischievous glint springing into her gaze.

“ _Have a good time, kids?_ ” she asked in a slow, teasing tone and they both sputtered and went red at the same time. 

“ _Auntie! It was not-!”_

“ _Aunt Maka, you asked me to-!”_

The older woman barked out a full belly laugh, leaning against the glass counter and waving her hand in a placating gesture. “ _I’m joking, I’m joking!!_ Gods, it's like you don't know your Aunt at all!”

Asra and Kepi glanced at each other and then looked away, cheeks burning. While he really _did_ have a good time with her, it wasn’t in… _that way_. 

Faust poked her head out of his shirt and slipped onto his shoulders, neck lifting and swaying lightly to grab the older woman’s attention.

_“Aunt! Hello!”_

“Hello Faust!” Makatza crooned, immediately crowding up to Asra to peer at her. “You’ve grown so much since I’ve seen you last!”

He could feel Faust bask in joy at the compliment. Faust bobbed her head and flicked her tongue out.

_“Squeeze?”_ _  
_

“She wants to give you a squeeze,” he relayed with a grin.

Makatza immediately offered her arm and Faust happily slipped from his shoulders onto hers and gave a tight squeeze.

“Oof, you’re definitely getting stronger darlin’! Pretty soon you’re gonna hafta go easy on my old bones!”

Faust preened at the attention, looping herself loosely around Makatza’s neck and plopping her head on top of hers. The older woman paid no mind to the snake, instead grinning at a curious Kepi and answered her unasked question, “I’ve known Faust since the mischievous little thing was still an egg.” She nodded to him, a warm smile on her face. “I gave her to Asra when I came back from Zadith once, because every magician needs a familiar.”

“And we’ve been inseparable since,” Asra added with a smile.

“Except when Auntie wants some time with her,” Makatza joked, nudging him with an elbow. She frowned, a motherly look crossing over her face. “I don’t get to see either of you much anymore since you and Muriel moved out into the forest together.”

Asra shrugged and he could see Kepi give him a curious look from the corner of his eye. “He doesn’t like the city.” he answered, in response to both unspoken questions, “There’s too many people around.”

“Understandable,” Makatza sighed, then reached out to ruffle his hair affectionately. “Though you two are _always_ welcome here if you need a hot meal or someplace to stay for the night.”

“I’ll let him know,” Asra promised, as he does every time she makes that offer and holds his arm out to Faust.

His familiar, sensing that it’s time to make their leave, reluctantly slithered off Makatza’s shoulders and slipped under his shirt again. She opts to keep her head out, flicking her tongue in and out as she pouted.

“You’ll see her again next week,” he assured Faust, glancing up at the older woman for confirmation, “Right? You’ll need someone to watch the shop while you're away, or will Kepi be watching it for you?”

Makatza hummed and ran a hand through her hair. She exchanged a glance with Kepi, who had an odd look in her eye, and then back at the calendar. 

“Kepi’s coming with me, so yes I’ll still need your assistance.” Makatza answered, “A friend needs my help a few cities away, so I’ll be leaving for that shortly after we get back from morel picking. Kepi will be running the shop then, but I _do_ need to show her where the good things are before that.”

Asra cast a glance at Kepi, but couldn’t catch her eye. She looked a little nervous, from how she played with the ends of her hair. He looked back at the older woman, smiled, and nodded. “Alright. I’ll see you then.”

He turned towards the door and, before he could take more than a few steps, a warning shook loose from his memory.

“Hey Aunt Maka,” He started, half turning on his heel to face the two women. “I just remembered, Muriel wanted to pass on a warning to you.”

“He wanted me to warn you about there apparently being another one of those eerie howling beasts in the woods. There’s now two sets of tracks he’s found, along with more scratched up trees and _those_ look to be from very sharp claws.”

Both Makatza and Kepi’s eyes seem to glow in the gloom of the darkening shop as they stare at him for a moment. A slight shudder ran up his spine and he’s suddenly hit with the strangest feeling of _danger_ . His hand itches to grasp the doorknob but, for the life of him, he can’t figure out why he’s so uneasy when he _shouldn’t be_.

The spell was broken as quickly as it came as the two women glanced at each other. Makatza fixed him with a smile full of gratitude.

“Tell Muriel that I’m very grateful he’s looking out for us,” she said, nodding to Kepi.

Kepi sighs and gestures to the lamp above her head, muttering a spell under her breath. A spark jumps from her fingers to the lamp and it lights up, casting a warm orange glow onto the occupants. 

“We’ll leave a little earlier, in that case,” the older woman continues while Kepi wanders the shop, providing light as she goes, “While I’ve been in my fair share of scraps, Kepi hasn’t and I’m not taking that risk with her.”

Asra nods, relief flooding his being. “That’s good to hear. I’m sure Muriel will be happy too.”

His gaze slides from the older woman to his new friend, who he makes eye contact with. Without meaning to, he gave her a little wave and his chest fluttered when she gave him a shy wave back.

“Just, please be careful on your trip. I’ll see you both next week.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Leave a kudos or a comment if you wanna and I will see y'all next Wednesday!  
> Until then; happy reading!


	3. Smiles of Plated Gold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kepi really needs to learn to keep her head out of the clouds and not trip into unsuspecting cabbage merchant carts. Or incite the ire of Count Lucio while he's out with his new puppies. Or, you know what, maybe she should just not leave the shop while Aunt Makatza's out of town. 
> 
> ~*~***~*~
> 
> “Beware, beware, be skeptical  
> Of their smiles, their smiles of plated gold  
> Deceit so natural  
> But a wolf in sheep's clothing is more than a warning”  
> -Wolf’s in Sheep’s Clothing - Set It Off

“You have a fine evening young lady! And remember what I told you, now, _I want to be the_ _first to know when Makatza’s back!”_

Kepi waved out the door, a wide smile plastered onto her face. “I will, Mrs. Gillespie! Have a good night!”

When the stout older woman finally tottered away and her obnoxious yellow feathered hat and boa had blended into the crowd, Kepi’s false smile slipped off her face like melting wax. She sighed heavily as she ducked back into the shop, shut the door with a sharp snap, flipped the sign to read ‘Closed’ with a practiced flick of her fingers, and promptly planted her back on the worn wood. She tangled her fingers into her hair and slid down it to slump onto the floor. The back of her head hit the door behind her with a dull _clunk_.

“ _Oh, Dearie, Makatza and I go waaay back you know!”_ Kepi mocked to the dust motes lazily drifting in the warm air. “ _She and I were practically raised together, don't you know? She absolutely loves me and_ always _gives me a family discount--_ Pah! The things people will lie about to get a few coins off!”

She heaved another heavy sigh, allowing herself to stew for another few moments before dragging herself off the floor. She first went to the counter and pulled out the inventory log for the day, glancing over it with a heavy gaze.

“Gonna have to forage for more herbs pretty soon,” she muttered under her breath, “Why are fire newt eyes, of all things, so popular..? And so are those full-moon morels. I’m gonna hafta get more in-”

Kepi glanced behind her and frowned at the calendar.

“Oh that’s… _that’s a lot closer than what I was expecting_ . I have potions don’t I-? Yes, Auntie left me with enough to get by. Speaking of enough, do I have enough _food_ to last me the week..?” 

She chewed on her bottom lip and glanced up the stairs leading towards the living space, cocking her head to the side. Kepi moved to go up them and blinked down at the inventory sheet she still held, as if she’d forgotten it was in her hand. She sighed, shook her head, and put the sheet away.

“Whatever, I’ll tend to the shop after I get groceries. The stalls I need won’t be open for much longer.”

With that, the young magician quickly trudged up the steps, habitually skipping the one that always squeaked, and pushed open the door with a _creak_. She quickly took stock of what she needed, scribbling it down on a scrap of parchment she found and the ever-present quill tucked in her ear. Kepi absently replaced the quill as she double checked the list, nodding once she was positive of everything she’d written.

“Shouldn’t take me long…” Kepi sighed as she hunted around for a suitable basket. She found one and, after carefully dumping the bolts of cloth onto the bed, tucked it under her arm and whisked her way back downstairs.

The setting sun was streaming through the open windows, heavy curtains pulled back to welcome the cool breeze that would blow in from the canals close by. Kepi took a moment to shut the heavy panes and tug the curtains back over the glass, muttering a Cross-Me-Not spell as added security. The last thing she wanted was her aunt’s hard work to be looted by some thief, despite Makatza having a rather positive reputation among the people here. 

Unbothered by the dark shadows stretching across the dusty floor, Kepi wasted no time on making her way out of the shop, charming the door along with locking it with her key, and slipping seamlessly into the bustling crowds heading towards the market. By now the young magician has gotten used to navigating the busy streets, though she still bumped into people by mistake sometimes. She proudly has a personal record of six outings in a row without trodding on someone’s toes, stepping on a loose bit of clothing, elbowing someone by mistake, tripping over someone’s child bolting through the crowd, tripping over her own feet and falling onto someone, or even bumping a cart by mistake and accidently causing the cabbages balanced on it topple onto several unsuspecting victims--which, has only happened _once_ but she still considers it a thing to keep on her list. 

_Of course, Aunt Maka considers_ that _incident to be an accomplishment._

Kepi resists the urge to grin as she steers into the delicious smells of the baker she’s taken a liking to. She waves at him when he gives her a hearty greeting and quickly picks out her bread--including the pumpkin bread she fell in love with, as a treat--not wanting to linger for too long. The warm smells remind her of her second outing with Asra, where she had opened up to him more about her passion for the stars, and he had shown her his beautiful tarot deck in turn.

A sad prang went through her when she thought of him. She hadn’t seen her new friend since she and her aunt came back from their _trip_. He mentioned to Makatza about wanting to travel further south, and Kepi could see some of the same tics in him that her aunt had when she was getting restless; the way he seemed to become lost in thought in the natural pauses of conversation, the wistful longing on his features as he looked out the windows towards the glittering sea, the anxious energy about him as he moved.

Even as Kepi had looked upon the two, she could clearly see them unconsciously mirroring each other and knew without a shadow of a doubt that he picked up more than just her aunt's fashion sense.

The young magician waved goodbye to the baker after she paid for her goods, offering him a small smile as an apology for her lack of conversation, before she moved on. 

The warm air of the early summer evening hung like a blanket over the market as Kepi moved with the crowd. Some stalls began closing for the day as others opened, beginning the transition from the daytime to Vesuvia’s nightlife. The overhead lanterns were lit in hues of warm reds and yellows and she could sense the air become more alive. She could hear taverns boom with life in the distance as she quickly made her way through the street, stopping every so often to make a purchase or two. Her basket was starting to get heavy as she came upon the very same cart she’d knocked over months ago. She fought the urge to give the glaring vendor another apology as she very carefully picked out the vegetables she wanted and handed over the coin to pay for them all; the gods know she could’ve filled an ocean from all the frantic apologies she gave him over the chaos that had came from her clumsiness and Makatza’s roaring laughter above it all. 

Forcing a friendly smile in the face of the scowling man, Kepi turned and tucked her purse away, mentially congratulating herself on yet another outing without incident. 

Kepi jumped as a sudden yell followed by the barking of dogs ripped her out of her thoughts. She gasped, instinctively took a step back and tripped over the thin rug covering the warped floorboards, causing her to stumble heavily into the vegetable-laden cart beside her.

Kepi regained her balance and shoved herself off the cart, barely registering the vendor cursing vividly at her. She sucked in a terrified breath as her eyes flew to the stacks of vegetables wobbling precariously from the sudden jostling. As if in slow motion, she watched in muted horror as they, as one, toppled over and fell like a wave onto the people around them.

“ _MY CABBAGEEESSSSS!!!”_

If the universe would suddenly open up and swallow her whole, she would thank whatever god she met for having mercy on her. She gulped and shakily removed a cabbage leaf from her head, torn between bolting into the crowd and trying to somehow make up for this mess.

_“ACK! WHAT IS-YOU! WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!”_

If Kepi was an accomplished enough magician and could travel back in time to prevent her stupid self from leaving the shop she would _do it in a heartbeat_. No matter how badly her mind screamed at her to just bolt and leave the market, nay, the _city_ , her legs would not obey. She was frozen, staring in absolute horror as none other than Count Lucio stalked out from around the other side of the cart, pieces of vegetables and leaves clinging to his mussed hair and fine clothing. From behind him, two white puppies wearing intricate golden collars on their necks came scampering out. One of them had a head of cabbage in its mouth and the other hot on the heels of her owner, both of them covered with pieces of cabbage.

The Count’s blazing silver eyes passed over Kepi, who was still frozen in front of the cart, and landed squarely on the sputtering merchant. He shoved past her and stomped up to the thin man, grabbed the front of his shirt and lifted him onto his toes.

“C-Count Lucio, s-sir I-!”

“WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?” Lucio roared into the greying man’s face. “YOU AND YOUR PITIFUL STAND _RUINED_ MY NEW FUR CAPE!!”

“Count, sir, _please!_ _It was that witch’s fault! She’s the one who knocked over and ruined my precious cabbages!”_

Kepi’s heart stopped momentarily as the vendor’s knobby finger jutted in her direction and two pairs of furious eyes locked onto her. Then the merchant’s words hit her and offense curled and dampened the fear screeching in her chest. Her fingers curled around the handle of her basket and she sucked in a breath to defend herself-

Then she locked eyes with Count Lucio and fear blotted out the anger again.

“I-” she squeaked, “I tripped. On the rug as I was, uh, leaving.”

Kepi took a deep breath and tried her damnedest to at least calm herself. She could feel the magic thrumming just under her skin, like electricity crawling over her arms, responding to her panic.

_Just like Auntie taught you. In. Out. Call the magic back._

“Well? Is what the vendor says true??”

Kepi’s eyes flew open and she squeaked when her vision was filled with Count Lucio’s face inches from hers. Now that he was much, _much_ closer she could smell the alcohol on his breath. She took a step back and nearly tripped, _again,_ over her own feet. There was a flash of gold and she was hauled back onto her feet by the near-painful grip of a metal hand.

“Are you really a magician??”

Kepi stared up at the Count with wide eyes. While she still saw the fury in his expression--and she was a little surprised at how _sober_ he looked despite reeking of alcohol--she could also see something… almost like eagerness in his silver eyes. Like curiosity but sharper, more predatory.

“Yes! She’s the spawn of that other witch with the magic shop!”

Kepi’s breath hitched and she bit her lip to keep her temper and her mouth in check, an action that doesn’t go unnoticed by the Count who still has her captive. He narrowed his eyes and turned from her to bark over his shoulder.

“QUIET! Or I’ll feed you to my hounds!”

As if to punctuate his statement one of the dogs crunched the head of cabbage in between its jaws and began to devour it. The other made to steal the wedge from the first dog’s mouth but he refused to let it go and both Kepi and the merchant watched as they began to fight over it.

Lucio paid them no mind as he turned back to Kepi, a new glint of recognition in his eye. “So you’re the magician’s kid-”

“Niece,” Kepi corrected with an annoyed huff. She eyed the vendor with no small amount of irritation and then turned back to the Count. “I’m Makatza’s niece, and yes, I’m a _magician_.”

He made a dismissive sound and let her go. “Whatever. I don’t care.” He jabbed a finger to his fur-lined cape that was still littered with bits of vegetables. “ _Fix it_.”

Kepi blinked, looking from Lucio’s face to the white fur, and then back. “I’m _sorry-?”_  
Lucio’s face twisted in a sneer and he jabbed the golden metal finger harder at the cape. “You caused this, _magician_ , you fix the stains in my new cape!” 

She followed the finger and squinted. Now that she looked a little closer, she _could_ see coloured smears on the white and black speckled fur. It looked like he got mostly hit by the tomatoes, though she could pick out a few green smears from some other things.

Kepi held in a sigh as she set down her basket and made to step closer. Lucio stopped her with a noise and a hand in her face. 

“Uh, no. What do you think you’re doi-”

“If you want me to fix it then let me closer!” She snapped, finally giving into her frustration. She met his stare head on and choked down a growl. “I can’t just wave my fingers and blabber a sentence and then _poof_ it’s gone! That’s not how magic works, now if you don’t mind let me do _what you asked me to do and let me go home!_ ” 

She ignored his shocked expression and pushed past his hand and began irritably plucking things from the fur. Kepi ignored the heat filled glare boring into the side of her head and used her fingers to examine the juice-stained patches.

“Luckily these are fresh and won’t be hard to get out,” she reported tersely, avoiding his gaze as she shook out her fingers in preparation to do magic.

“Lucky for _you_ I’m a kind Count and won’t imprison you for your mistake, _despite_ your attitude.”

She bites the inside of her cheek to keep frustrated curses from spilling out of her mouth. Instead she settled for muttering, as she hovered her hands over the fur, “Good to know you treat the newcomers and the natives of this city equally.”

The Count’s shoulder jerked and Kepi hissed as she repositioned her hands. She glowered up at him and found that he was examining her with renewed interest.

“You’re a foreigner? From where?”

She sighed through her nose and elected to ignore him for the time being, instead bringing up the magic to her hands. In her mind’s eye she imagined the magic flowing down her hands and into the fur, flowing through it and taking the stains out of it like water. When she was absolutely sure of the image in her mind, she released it. It felt cool and slightly tingly as it flowed out of her and she was pleased to see the magic to do exactly as she wanted it to, including making the Count twitch under the flow of her magic.

Kepi took some time to examine her handiwork to check for spots she might’ve missed. As she was checking she finally answered the Count’s questions. 

“Yes, I’m a foreigner; I arrived shortly before the last Masquerade-”

Kepi jumped and let out a squeak when the Count’s arm wrapped heavily across her shoulder. Her startled gaze flew to his, her confusion blotting away the frustration at the sudden enthused smirk on his face.

“Ah yes! You attended my magnificent Masquerade did you? Tell me, young magician, what did you like best about my birthday party?”

She gaped up at him, a little dizzy at the sudden change of attitude. He was acting like the previous ten minutes didn’t happen and she was more than a little caught off-guard.

“I-uh-”

“Oh come on, my party is always the talk of the town! People come from all over to participate in it!” Lucio’s arm squeezed a little tighter around her shoulder as he gestured with his metal one. “People _always_ love the food, and I happened to personally approve of this year’s theme-”

Lucio’s rambling became background noise as memories came unbidden to her mind. The image of laughing violet eyes peeking out from behind a fox mask and framed by the warm glow of the ballroom. Her aunt’s raucous laughter and wild aura as she drug her through the polished halls, weaving in and out of groups of partygoers, her calloused hand warm and sturdy in Kepi's. The gentle cool of Asra’s presence as he sat with her and offered her refreshments. Though what really stood out against all that was- 

“-There was the bubble room, though it wasn’t as good as last year. It was still fun, though, but you should’ve _seen_ how it is when it’s done _properly_! The wine, of course, was only the finest imported from Prakra! The parade was lacking this year-”

“I really liked the costumes-! I uh,” she blurted and shuffled a little, “This was my first Masquerade, or attending any party like this one at all. So seeing the city come alive like that was…”

She hummed and glanced up at the strung lanterns above them. She could almost _see_ the smells of the night play among the welcoming glow, heat and beer and comforting earth. A small wistful smile played on her lips. “It was magical.” 

There was a moment of silence and then Kepi cringed as Lucio barked out a laugh, not unlike his dogs still fighting over ruined vegetables.

“Of course it was magical! There’s only one Masquerade and that’s the one _I_ put on!” He grinned down at her, all teeth and with no small amount of malice in it, ” Now that you’ve improved your attitude some, _and unlike that aunt of yours_ , I think I’ve taken a liking to you! Now, come with me and-”

“I-”

“Hey.”

Kepi and the Count looked up sharply at the interruption and at first she only saw the broad expanse of a toned, tan chest. Then she craned her head up and _up_ and her startled gaze finally met the dark, hooded stare of their interrupter. She would’ve taken a step back to try and properly get a good look at him, but Lucio’s arm was still firm around her shoulders. The earthy smell was stronger than it was before and she thinks it might be myrrh. 

His unreadable stare first bored into hers, then flicked briefly to Lucio, then back to her. She couldn’t get a good read on him or his body language and that alone set her even more on edge than she was before.

That is, until she heard a high pitched excited squealing at her feet. She glanced down and felt her knees get weak in sheer relief as the violet eyes of her aunt’s familiar met hers. The silver fox squeaked at her again, happily spinning in a circle before twining herself around the newcomer’s ankles.

If Kepi could let herself cry she would’ve burst into tears on the spot. It was as if her aunt knew she’d get herself into some kind of trouble and left Azeria behind to help her out. Kepi ventured to glance up at the newcomer again, apparently help came in the form of this giant of a man.

“You need something, dock urchin?” Lucio spat, tightening his arm painfully around her shoulders, causing her to wince lightly.

The other man seemed to ignore him, though Kepi could’ve sworn a dark look passed over his face. Instead he stared down at her, gaze still unreadable.

“Are you… The Magician Makatza’s apprentice?” He asked slowly in rumbling tones reminding her much of a bear’s.

She glanced back down at the fox now sitting squarely between his feet. The familiar gave her an exasperated look and she took that as a not-so-subtle hint.

Kepi took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and met her saviors gaze steadily. “I am,” she said in a much surer voice than she felt, “Are you in need of my services?”

“Can’t you see we’re _busy, Urchin_? Go find another magician to bother!” 

Pretending he didn’t even hear the Count’s barbed words, he slowly nodded and shuffled a little, pulling out a _very_ familiar coin purse from the depths of his cloak. She fought not to gape openly at it, sweeping her gaze from it to his face.

So _this_ was-

“I’m willing to pay…” he muttered, then giving her a pointed stare.

Kepi cleared her throat, nodding and then ducking out from underneath Lucio’s arm.

“Oi! The hell you think you’re-!”

“I apologize for my rudeness, Count Lucio,” Kepi lied, forcing her most apologetic smile onto her face and bowing lowly to him, “But I must see to this. A magician’s work is never done you know!” 

She swooped down to retrieve her basket and bowed once more, pushing down her initial bolt of fear upon seeing the Count’s shocked and enraged face. “May you have a merry night, Count Lucio.”

With that, she spun upon her heel and gestured for her savior to follow her. “Come, we shall discuss your terms somewhere more private.”

She didn’t wait for him to make any indication of agreement, stepping into the much barer street and starting towards the shop. Kepi could feel the heat of the Count’s stare upon her retreating back, creeping up her neck like so many bugs. She was so focused on hurrying out of his line of sight she jumped when his voice cut through the noise building in her head.

“This way,” the massive man muttered, nodding to a darker side street. 

She didn’t hesitate, turning onto the street and gladly ridding herself of the Count’s seething glare. When they were just out of sight Kepi wobbled to a stop and pressed her back against the side of a building. She took a deep breath, and then another, and focused on strangling back the frustrated, _frightened_ sobs that wanted to burst out of her. 

When she felt small paws on her legs she allowed herself to sink to her knees and buried her face into Azeria’s silver-and-black collar fur. The familiar smell of her fur and the earthy tones of myrrh helped calm the swirling emotions in her chest. Azeria whined and licked at her neck, tickling her and forcing a few hysterical giggles from Kepi.

The shuffle of feet and gravel brought her back to reality and the young woman looked up at her savior, gratitude written all over her tired face.

“Thank you,” she murmured, pulling herself back to her feet. “I, uh-just, _thank you_. I couldn’t-I didn’t-”

She sighed and swiped her hand over her face, exhausted and now embarrassed at her incompetence. She could feel the other man just stare down at her, surprisingly silent despite his size. It still made her uneasy that she couldn’t read his body language in the slightest, even though there was no one but them in the alley. The biggest hint she could get was his eyes, and it was hard to see them in the shadow of his cloak.

However, Aunt Maka trusted him, so she did as well.

“Could I have your name?” Kepi asked after a moment, giving up for the time being. She was too tired to truly put effort into it anyway. 

“Why?”

She blinked and cocked her head slightly. That… wasn’t the reaction she was expecting.

“So I know what to call you.”

He shuffled and glanced away from her. She caught the barest glimpse of a creased brow and a pursing of his lips as he turned away.

“Muriel,” he muttered so quietly she almost didn’t hear it over the sounds of the night. 

A genuine smile spread over her face before she could even think to reign it back. “I thought so,” she said quietly, shifting her basket in her arms. It was beginning to get heavy. 

Muriel turned to her again, his brows furrowed in confusion and tension in his shoulders. In answer, Kepi held her hand out to Azeria and grinned as her fingers were assaulted in eager licks.

“Azeria wouldn’t be with you if Aunt Maka didn’t trust you,” she stated, smiling up at him. “Besides, she and Asra talk of you often.” 

He glanced away again and he reached up to rub at his neck. He knocked back his hood a little more and she was pleasantly surprised to see a dusting of pink on his cheeks.

“Oh.”

She took some time to examine her savior, now that she could see a little more of his features. He didn’t seem too much older than she, maybe a handful of years at most. His general rugged appearance seemed to make him look older, so she couldn’t be too sure of her guess. His black hair flowed down his shoulders, tapering to a stop almost at the center of his chest. 

“My name’s Kepi.”

And she was delighted to see, when his gaze darted back to hers, that his eyes weren’t as dark as she initially guessed but instead a mossy green. 

She gave him a soft smile. “Though I’m sure you already knew that. Asra tells me that Auntie can’t shut up about me.”

A soft snort and a slight quirking of his lips told her all she needed to. “No,” he said, “She can’t.”

He gives her another appraising look and she wonders what he sees in front of him. “You have her spirit,” he hums after a moment.

Kepi tilts her head to the side slightly. He doesn’t elaborate, merely turning from her and looking back down the way they came. Kepi mimics him, watching the flow of people as they laughed and stumbled past their hiding place, paying them no mind.

“I think it’s safe for me to go home,” she murmurs after a moment, shifting her basket again. She thinks of Count Lucio’s heated gaze on her, like something crawling up her back and she shudders despite herself. 

“... I’ll walk you back.” 

Kepi glanced up at him in surprise. He still wasn’t looking at her, though he had that light flush to his face again. She smiled, feeling at ease for the first time since she stepped out of the shop.

“Thank you.”

The trip to the shop didn’t take long at all. It was getting close to the middle of the night and most of the shops here had long since closed up, cutting the traffic on the road significantly. The pair and the fox traveled in an uneasy silence, not awkward but not friendly at the same time. Azeria had a grand time chasing the rodents that scurried across the cobblestones and more than once Kepi had to pause to call her back. 

The air around the two became more awkward as they approached the shop. Kepi sighed in no small amount of relief as the worn door came into view. She was weary down to her very bones and all she wanted to do was put her purchases away and throw herself into bed and forget the evening even happened. Even going through the motions of dispelling the Cross-Me-Not spell and pulling out her key was a chore.

“Thank you, for the third time,” she half joked as she turned away from unlocking the door, gazing up at him.

Muriel’s gaze shifted from the shop window to her for a moment before shifting away again. “Don’t let it happen again.”

She blinked, a little shocked at the blunt words, but the uncomfortable shift in his body told her something different. She huffed a laugh and waved him off when his eyes found hers again, a silent question in them.

“It was a pleasure meeting you, Muriel.” She murmured with a soft genuine smile, “I hope you see you again, sometime.”

And with that, Kepi turned the knob and ushered Azeria in before stepping through the threshold herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! As always, feedback is always welcome! I do hope you're enjoying Kepi's shenanigans as much as I'm writing them!  
> I'm posting more things Arcana-related on my twitter and tumblr and I'm always up for any questions on either platform!  
> Art belongs to me.
> 
> Twitter: DruidicKats  
> Tumblr: Druidickats


End file.
